Apparatus for assisting swimming training

ABSTRACT

A training system for assisting a coach to train a swimmer, including a swimmer side system and a coach side system electronically communicated. The swimmer wears a head-gear which includes a swimmer&#39;s data collection kit (SWDCK) which includes in turn sensors, a processor and a transceiver. A display for the swimmer is attached to a head belt or to goggles. A speaker for transferring audible information to the swimmer is typically a bone-conduction speaker. A control module is operated by the coach, which includes a transmitter for communicating with the swimmer worn head-gear, a computer and a display and software,

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional patentapplication 61/361,927, entitled “Apparatus for assisting swimmingtraining”, filed on Jul. 7, 2010.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to training devices for sportspeople andtheir instructor/coach.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Training system for sportspeople and others who toil about their fitnessare available today in several forms, providing a multiplicity of datathat can be used as grounds for physiological analysis and performancestudy. Such commercially available training systems currently supportsports activity related to athletics but there is a need for a systemthat can specifically support swimmers. The environment in whichswimming is performed is typically more challenging than the environmentsurrounding athletes. First, a swimmer is submerged in water fully orpartially which is in itself challenging for a systems includingelectrical circuits and components. Second, a swimmer is not at alltimes immersed in water and is at times out of the water, resting, doingout of water exercise, or even when swimming, raising parts of the bodyout of the water. In other words, the swimmer's environment is changingbetween aqueous and atmospheric from time to time and even at a fastrate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Head-gear worn by the swimmer includes several items that functiontogether for sending information to the coach on the one hand, and forreceiving information and instructions from the coach on the other hand.A swimmer's data collection kit (SWDCK), worn by the swimmer, includesan assemblage of hardware components. A part of the assemblage is avariety of sensors which collect data relating to positioning of theswimmer, physiological data and physical data. A processor receives thedata from the sensors, typically modified signals from the respectivesensors signals. The processor, employing a memory, is also connected totransceiver for sending information to the coach. The coach receives athis/her remote location the data/information from the swimmer and isable to analyze it by employing the control module which includes atransceiver and visualizing components and microphone and a smallcomputer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be understood upon reading of the following detaileddescription of non-limiting exemplary embodiments thereof, withreference to the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram describing the component layout of theswimmers data collection kit of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic contour view of a data collection kit of theinvention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram describing the connectivity of the dataconveying apparatuses available to the swimmer while swimming.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A swimmer's data collection kit (SWDCK) 20 in accordance with thepresent invention features an assemblage of hardware components, mostlyelectronic, mounted on a swimmer-worn gear. Referring first to FIG. 1,the assemblage of components includes a variety of sensors 22 connectedto a processor 24. This connection typically employs an adaptor (notshown) to condition the signal of a sensor to the processor, for exampleby digitizing the electrical signal of the sensor. Processor 24 connectsto display 26, and to transceiver 28. Memory 32, is typically a flashmemory unit, and is connected to processor 24. Power supply 36 powersall the components in the assemblage. In another embodiment, the signalsemanating from the sensors, after being digitized are stored in adigital storage device before being processed. The signals, orinformation derived from such signals can be stores after processed.SWDCK 20 and some of its components can be shared with other modules ofthe invention.

User (Swimmer) Worn Gear

The present invention is implementable requiring that the user, which isthe swimming trainee, wears a gear on his/her body, for two reasons: tocollect physiological data from the body and to collect physical dataassociated with the swimmer's movements as he/she swims. Most typically,the gear is a head gear, worn on or applied as a belt around the head.One preferable option is that the user's gear is associated with theswimming goggles. This option has several advantages. One advantage isthat at least a part of the burden and weight of the SWDCK 20 is beingshared by a contraption which is worn by the swimmer in most cases.Another advantage is that a visor, showing data to be viewed by theswimmer can be installed on one or two of the glasses of the goggles. Itcan be understood that although SWDCK 20 is described schematically asincluding a display, the visor itself may not necessarily be housed inconnection with the rest of the hardware components but rather beseparated such a be housed in connection with goggles, while the rest ishoused in connection with a belt worn on the head.

Sensors

Several sensors are employed in a system of the invention. These sensorscan be grouped according to task as follows: positioning, physiological,physical. The positioning sensors are such devices that determinerelative or absolute position of the trainee within a local or globalcoordinate system. Such sensors include linear accelerometer/s,multi-dimensional accelerometer/s, and magnetometer. A magnetometer isemployed for the identification of turns in the practice of swimming.The turns made by swimmers clearly distinguish the practice of swimmingsetting them aside from athletics in which a runner does not performturns. Turns are made as the swimmer reaches the edge of the pool andchanges, usually as fast as he/she can, the direction of advancement.The magnetometer, sensitive to the earth's magnetic field can typicallysense the change in the direction of that field that occurs as theswimmer makes a turn. In case the direction of earth's magnetic field isin such an angle relative to the pool to prevent proper response tochange, a local magnet can be disposed beside the pool to provide suchreference. An alternative to a magnetometer is a gyroscope sensitive tovertical turns. Physiological sensors include such devices that collectinformation about bodily functions of the swimmer, convert them toelectrical signals that can be passed on to the processor after havingbeen converted to processor compatible format. An oxymeter is a sensorthat measures the level of oxidation of the blood in the blood stream,and can also infer to the pulse, by the cyclic change in relative oxygencontent in the blood. Since the oxymeter requires a contact on the skinit is supported in the SWDCK 20 in such a manner as to insure thatcontact. As can be seen in FIG. 2 to which reference is now made, aschematic contour view of head-gear 72, bearing SWDCK 20 shows theforehead section, featuring two bulges. Bulge 74 contains oxymeter suchthat when worn around the head, bulge 74 touches the forehead. Thisbulge contains an oxymeter having a window to permit the exchange oflight between the skin and the sensor. The list of physiological sensorsthat can be employed in connection with the present invention typicallyinclude breathing sensors that measure the cyclical change in the volumeof the chest. Another type of sensor is a muscular activity sensor thatmeasures electric signal in the vicinity of the muscle. Another type ofbreathing cycles sensor is an accelerometer that measures the movementof the head, assuming that each time the swimmer lifts his/her head up abreathing instance occurs. Blood stream pulsation sensors are availablethat measure the electrical activity in the vicinity of the heart andprovide hart rate measurements. Physical sensors accelerometers,gyroscope and magnetometer can all be applied in addition to the reasonsset forth above, to monitor physical properties of the swimmer, e.g.speed, swimming style, uniformity pace and variability. The dataprovided by such sensors provide the data from which the coach or indeedthe trainee can infer quantitative aspects of the swimmer'scapabilities. Specifically the data can be used to determine the numberof strokes per lap, number of breath per lap. Additionally they provideinput which determines if the swimmer is swimming or resting betweenlaps.

Communicating the Trainee with the Control Module

The coach/swimming instructor operates the control module which includesa transceiver and visualizing components and microphone, that enableshim/her to study the trainee's physiological parameters, his/herachievements and improvement. The control module is typically a laptopor small computer such as a smartphone either attached to or containinga transceiver and allows communications to take place between thetrainee and the coach. The computer operated by the coach includes alsosoftware for maintaining the computer and for assisting the coach inhis/her tasks. The coach can compile a more refined training scheme forthe specific swimmer and in response to receiving online informationthrough the transceiver of the SWDCK, can also observe, compare presentand past records of a trainee that are kept on the control module oraccessed via network. The coach is able to make comments or utterinstructions to the trainee and modify the training program inreal-time. Explained with reference to FIG. 3, the electromagneticsignal emitted by the transmitter or a transceiver at the coach's end,is received by transceiver 28 of the trainee's SWDCK 20, where it ispassed to processor 24 after being properly conditioned (for examplefiltration, digitization, demodulation, etc.). A suitable driver 78passes a signal to contact speaker 80 forms audible signals in thetrainee's head-gear 72 passes to his/her skull and ear.

Returning now to FIG. 2, a second bulge 84 contains a speaker which isin contact with the trainee's forehead, sending audio information fromthe control center to the trainee while swimming. To facilitate hearing,typically bone conduction technology is used. The audio informationdelivered by a bone conduction loudspeaker travels along the bones ofthe skull reaching the inner ear and perceived as voice by the innerear. Several products are available on the market for swimmers anddivers.

Various communications standards can be used to support wirelessinteractions between the swimmer and the coach. Bluetooth® technologyimplementing the 2.4 GHz band is one possibility, although it may not beable to support communications at longer distances prescribed for theusage of the technology. ZigBee® (IEEE 802.15.4) also , like Bluetoothsupport traffic by low power consuming digital radios. WLAN systems likeWi-Fi are applicable as long as their energy consumption is reasonablefor the application. In addition, cellular technology can be used.

Display and Visors

An additional option of presenting information to the trainee is bydisclosing visually any textual or graphical output that can be compiledby the processor. Again referring to FIG. 3, the signal supplied byprocessor 24 is sent to driver 86 that drives display 26. This displaytypically is a HUD (heads up display) that can be attached to one orboth of the glasses of the goggles of the trainee, in such case as thetrainee wears goggles. Additionally, visual information can be presentedin a display device mounted on the head-gear 72. In this case the SWDCK20 has to be removed in order to view the display followed byrepositioning it on the swimmer's body. See for example alpine gogglesby Recon Instruments Inc., 220-1050 Homer Street V6B 2W9, Vancouver, BC,Canada.

Implementation of Training Schemes Based on the Device of the Invention

A SWDCK is used on the one hand to collect data associated with theswimmer and swimming and on the other hand it performs as a tool forreviewing the performance of the swimmer. Referring to FIG. 1 again,clock 104 provides timing for the entire system, and is in someprocessors a part of the processor. For the assessment of swimmer'sperformance, the clock can count the time between one turn (flip) andanother one (as determining the time it takes for the swimmer to swimone pool (lap). Relationships between physiological parameters and speedof the trainee and the effect swimming style can be calculated either onthe trainees SWDCK 20 or on the trainers control module. Additionally,the SWDCK 20 can generate audio and/or visual messages to the traineeand coach, providing real-time feedback on above mentioned calculatedrelationships.

1. A training system for assisting a coach to train a swimmer, saidsystem comprising: swimmer worn head-gear; said gear including: aswimmer's data collection kit (SWDCK) which includes assemblage ofhardware components which includes at least sensors, a processor and atransceiver; a display; a speaker for transferring audible informationto said swimmer; a clock; a control module operable by said coach, whichincludes at least a transceiver for communicating with said swimmer wornhead-gear, a computer, a display and software, and wherein said varietyof sensors include at least sensors for collecting data relating toposition, physiology and the physical state of said swimmer.
 2. Atraining system as in claim 1, wherein said position sensors include atleast a linear accelerometer and a magnetometer.
 3. A training system asin claim 1, wherein said display is associated with goggles worn by saidswimmer.
 4. A training system as in claim 3, wherein said display is aHUD.
 5. A training system as in claim 1 wherein said speaker is abone-conduction loudspeaker.
 6. A training system as in claim 1 whereinsaid control module operable by said coach includes a transmitter forcommunication with said swimmer.